Johnson once observed to me, ’Tom Tyers described me the best:  “Sir, (said he,) you are like a ghost:  you never speak till you are spoken to."’

The gentleman whom he thus familiarly mentioned was Mr. Thomas Tyers, son of Mr. Jonathan Tyers, the founder of that excellent place of publick amusement, Vauxhall Gardens, which must ever be an estate to its proprietor, as it is peculiarly adapted to the taste of the English nation; there being a mixture of curious show,—­gay exhibition, musick, vocal and instrumental, not too refined for the general ear;—­for all which only a shilling is paid; and, though last, not least, good eating and drinking for those who choose to purchase that regale.  Mr. Thomas Tyers was bred to the law; but having a handsome fortune, vivacity of temper, and eccentricity of mind, he could not confine himself to the regularity of practice.  He therefore ran about the world with a pleasant carelessness, amusing everybody by his desultory conversation.  He abounded in anecdote, but was not sufficiently attentive to accuracy.  I therefore cannot venture to avail myself much of a biographical sketch of Johnson which he published, being one among the various persons ambitious of appending their names to that of my illustrious friend.  That sketch is, however, an entertaining little collection of fragments.  Those which he published of Pope and Addison are of higher merit; but his fame must chiefly rest upon his Political Conferences, in which he introduces several eminent persons delivering their sentiments in the way of dialogue, and discovers a considerable share of learning, various knowledge, and discernment of character.  This much may I be allowed to say of a man who was exceedingly obliging to me, and who lived with Dr. Johnson in as easy a manner as almost any of his very numerous acquaintance.

Mr. Edwards had said to me aside, that Dr. Johnson should have been of a profession.  I repeated the remark to Johnson that I might have his own thoughts on the subject.  Johnson.  ’Sir, it would have been better that I had been of a profession.  I ought to have been a lawyer.’  Boswell.  ’I do not think, Sir, it would have been better, for we should not have had the English Dictionary.’  Johnson.  ‘But you would have had Reports.’  Boswell.  ’Ay; but there would not have been another, who could have written the Dictionary.  There have been many very good Judges.  Suppose you had been Lord Chancellor; you would have delivered opinions with more extent of mind, and in a more ornamented manner, than perhaps any Chancellor ever did, or ever will do.  But, I believe, causes have been as judiciously decided as you could have done.’  Johnson.  ’Yes, Sir.  Property has been as well settled.’